


Narcissus

by tasteslikeciel



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: M/M, Plants, Tentacles, kinda nsfw-ish but not really, tentacle plants, uhhh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-02
Updated: 2016-02-02
Packaged: 2018-05-17 19:24:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5882629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tasteslikeciel/pseuds/tasteslikeciel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things don't go as planned when Yuya sneaks into the Fusion Dimension.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Narcissus

**Author's Note:**

> This was a suggestion from a friend that I'm trashy enough to write it. It turned into a mess and it's like really bad. Completely terrible. I don't recommend reading this monstrosity....but eyyy.

“ _Ladies and Gentleme_ \--e _hh?_ Where did he go?”

Yuya presses a hand against his forehead and pretends to look off into the distance. His lips purse and his eyes narrow as he leans forward a bit to try and “see” something his attentive audience couldn't. After a moment he bites his lip and whines a little.

“Mmm...he was _just_ here a second ago!”

He hums out another whine and straightens up to turn and face the crowd. The white and gold-trimmed cape drapped over his head and shoulders fans out behind him as he moves. He mimics his previous search actions and somehow manages to make his pout grow. This earns a few giggles from some people in the little crowd that had gathered around him and they only grew more hysterical at the sight of a rolling pink creature that kept itself hidden behind Yuya's back.

“Mr. Hippo?” Yuya calls out questioningly and turns again. The pink creature (a cartoon-y hippo wearing a little waistcoat and top hat) merely rolls around behind him, determinedly remaining just out of Yuya's sight. “Mr. Hippo, we can't continue our show if you're hiding!”

Yuya makes another turn and sighs very dramatically when he's still unable to find his chubby pink companion. He closes his eyes and sets his hands against his hips, eyebrows knitting as he looks wholly disappointed at this turn of events. Behind him, the hippo rolls onto his hind legs and mimics Yuya's stance and facial expression (albeit much more exaggerated). It makes the few children that were watching the act and even a few of the adults continue to laugh.

Yuya groans and curls his fingers into his palms, pouty expression turning into one of annoyence.

“Mr. _Hippo_!” And here he stamps his foot, as if that alone will make the creature appear. Of course, it doesn't and Yuya only receives more childish giggles when the hippo mimics his foot stomping and wiggles its front legs at Yuya dismissively. “Mr. Hippo, this is _serious_!”

“Behind you, behind you! Look behind you, Yuya-ni!”

Yuya pauses and looks out into the crowd as various tiny voices begin to shout and urge him to catch sight of the mischievous creature behind him. Some were frantically pointing at the hippo and others had their hands cupped around their mouths as they called out to him.

“Oh? Behind me?” Yuya blinks and then turns but the hippo quickly dashes around him and Yuya sees nothing. “Uhm, did you guys...really see something here?”

“Yuya-niiii!”

“Turn around!”

“He's behind you!”

A smile tugs at Yuya's lips but he holds it back and instead ushers that little pout to make a return. He sets a fist against his hip and taps a finger against his chin, pretending to look confused while making various little questioning noises. He waits a moment and then another and then another still. Tension builds as the children impatiently await the moment when Yuya catches the hippo off-guard. He taps his chin once, twice, and then at the children's insistence finally whirls around before Mr. Hippo has a chance to dart away again.

“Hey!”

Yuya pretends to look shocked while Mr. Hippo proceeds to look around frantically. At seeing no easy escape route, however, he quickly throws his front feet over his eyes in a futile attempt to hide himself. The children are delighted, let loose a little cheer, and a few of them even clap.

“There you are! I looked everywhere for you!” Yuya scolds and wags a finger disapprovingly. Mr. Hippo makes an apologetic noise, uncovers his eyes, and bows his head. Yuya reaches down to pat the top of his head and lets his frown slip into an easy smile. “It's alright, Mr. Hippo...but...”

Yuya pauses long enough to look concerned and moves to cross his arms. His eyes travel upward, making himself appear to be in thought.

“Mm...now we don't have enough time to finish the show.”

This earns a collective groan of disappointment from the children, but Mr. Hippo quickly leaps onto his hind legs with an excited wave and then points a leg towards the audience. Yuya stares at him questioningly before he pretends to suddenly understand and he makes an approving little awed noise.

“ _Ohhh_ , I see! You think someone from the audience could help us out, right?”

The hippo nods and the children in the audience begin to hop up and down excitedly, some with hands waving in the air and others immediately begging to be picked.

Yuya sets a hand against his hip and taps a finger against his chin, looking thoughtful.

“Hmm~ I like that idea, Mr. Hippo, but who should help us out?”

Yuya surveys the crowd and grins at the number of excited voices and waving hands. They all seemed very eager to participate. Some of the children were urging their parents to let them go play while some of the adults themselves looked interested in playing along with Yuya's show. It was always a good sign when even the adults were enjoying his sillier performances.

“How abooouuut….”

Yuya spots a little girl in the crowd with mocha-colored skin and a sundress the color of sunflowers. She couldn't have been older than five, maybe seven at the most. She was hopping around in her earth-toned sandels, pigtails bouncing, and hand waving in the air as she tried to get his attention. It was a similar case with the others, but she just caught his attention.

Maybe...it was probably the pigtails. Their gentle glides through the air reminded him of a set of pink ones back home. Just a little.

He steps forward and stretches out a hand towards the girl, smile growing. The little girl's eyes light up, but she pauses and presses a fist against her lips, uncertainty tainting that wonder sparkling in her vision.

Yuya lets a gentle laugh flow into the wind and sends her a little wink. “Would you--”

Before Yuya can request her assistance with that practiced pose and charming smile of his, another boy that looked to be around his age slips out of the crowd and into Yuya's zone. He's shrouded in purples and pinks and there's a smile that wasn't quite friendly playing along his lips. Yuya couldn't remember seeing him in the small crowd before (and someone in a uniform like _that_ would stick out). He seems to have just...appeared, as crazy as that sounded.

The mystery boy saunters over, slips a hand into the one Yuya had intended for the little girl, and looks amused.

“Aren't you charming.” he says and now that Yuya takes a good look, the boy has a strikingly familiar face. So, this was another--? “I was passing by and couldn't help but notice your little show. Hope you don't mind if play along~”

“Uh...” Yuya blinks, momentarily stunned, before he fumbles with his words and slowly pushes himself back into the swing of things. “N-not at all! I-I guess we have our volunteer!”

The children collectively aw'ed in disappointment and the slight frown on the chosen little girl's face pulls at the nervous smile Yuya has on his. However, regardless of the fact that he was ultimately just a spy, a show was a show and Yuya couldn't let himself look anything but pleasing while in front of his audience or it wouldn't be fun anymore. So, he fights the urge to frown and looks again to the newcomer with as friendly of a disposition as he can muster.

“We're happy you could join us!” Yuya continues. The boy still has his hand so Yuya gestures to his hippo with the other. “Right, Mr. Hippo?”

The boy tilts his head a little as the hippo trots up to Yuya's side and gives a little bow with a sweep of his top hat in greeting. He glances up at the boy and gives him a very cheery hippo grin before plopping the top hat back on and patiently waiting.

“Mmm.” the boy hums. His fingers begin to curl around Yuya's wrist. “How _cute_.”

Mr. Hippo makes a pleased noise, but the boy tsks, shakes his head, and looks pointedly at Yuya.

“I was referring to _you,_ not your... _friend_.”

His gaze is back on the hippo and there's an edge of distaste in his tone on the word “friend” that sours Yuya's cheerful expression. A slight narrowing of the boy's eyes makes the hippo shrink back and cling to Yuya's legs. He whimpers a little and tries to hide himself from the boy's steady gaze.

“Hey, that's--”

Yuya opens his mouth, ready to defend his partner, but the boy suddenly moves a little closer with a soft laugh.

“Interesting that I would meet you here, of all places. That's very, _very_ convenient.” he comments offhandedly but then shrugs. He then flips Yuya's hand over and bends as he brings it to his lips and presses a kiss on the inside of Yuya's wrist. “Yuri, at your service~”

“ _Hunh??_ ”

All previous thoughts of chastising the boy for scaring his hippo dissolve as Yuya's face flushes. His mouth opens and his lips tremble but he can't quite form a coherent sentence that isn't laced with embarrassed noises. Instead, he snatches his hand back and holds it against his chest, feeling so utterly embarrassed that he momentarily forgets he's in the middle of a live show. It wasn't the first time he's had a flirtatious encounter or two between he and someone in his audience, but _he_ was the one who always initiated it. By far, this was the _weirdest_ meeting with a look-a-like he's ever had. His first meetings with the other two had certainly been interesting, but they never tried _kissing_ him!

“...Y-yuri?”

Something about the name rings a bell and feels familiar in the way that he's heard it before, but he can't quite figure out where or why. Also, while he can't explain it, there's something about this boy that just doesn't feel right. He doesn't really feel safe and that's an odd feeling.

“Ah. So,” Yuri continues with a short chuckle. He sets a hand against his hip and waits. “what am I volunteering for?”

Oh, that's right! The show!

“A-all I need is an object of yours!” Yuya says and although that blush is still on his face, he manages something like a laugh. It's a bit weak, but it works. “I-it'll be returned in the same condition. I promise!”

Yuri's smile seems to grow and he takes a moment to think about what item he has to use. After seemingly deciding, he pulls something from out of his jacket and holds it up between two fingers.

“Will a card work?”

It looked to be a Duel Monsters card, but what kind, Yuya couldn't tell from this angle. Not that it really mattered. Honestly, a card would be easier to work with. But he was curious...

“Mm!”

Yuya gives him a little nod and affirmative hum. Rather than hand the card over as Yuya expected, however, Yuri lets out another short chuckle.

“Yuya, wasn't it?” he asks and flips the card over to reveal its front. It's some kind of plant monster with a vicious looking mouth. “You're not the only one here who can do magic tricks.”

He flicks his wrist and the card bursts into folds of green foliage as its shape stretches and bends and splits into a blooming bouquet of pink roses. Yuri's hands close around the green stems as they settle and then he takes a little bow while holding the flowers out to Yuya.

“A gift to commemorate our meeting~”

It's enough to make Yuya's face flush yet again, but the crowd claps. Oos and ahs are exchanged and murmurs of encouragement start to spread from child to child. Under normal circumstance this would be welcomed, but Yuya can only stare at the offering in stunned silence. He's unsure how to proceed when his intended trick had literally just been ruined.

“A-ah, thank...you?” Yuya eventually fumbles out.

Slowly, he takes the offered flowers and brushes his fingers against the roses' petals. They're soft and damp like they've been freshly cut and there was a sweet smell clinging to their petals very reminiscent of perfume.

Yuya frowns a little at that.

' _Are they supposed to smell this sweet?_ ' he glances back up at Yuri, a question in his eyes. ' _Just who_ _ **is**_ _this guy? Does he have...powers like mine?_ '

Creating things with a mere thought and manipulating objects into being what he desired is a gift Yuya has had since before his dad disappeared. Maybe Yuri could also--?

“I think it's about time we end your little show.”

Yuya blinks at a sudden twist in Yuri's gaze. It's cold and vicious and everything Yuya never knew someone that shared his face could pull off. Those eyes were picking him apart, like the face of a predator staring at his next meal.

“Ladies and Gentlemen!” Yuri announces, parroting Yuya's earlier catchphrase. He turns to the crowd, making a grand gesture with open arms. “Pay close attention because this is the last act!”

He opens his mouth again but stops, huffs out another laugh, and turns back towards Yuya, head angled in a strange tilt.

“I'm going to make the little magician boy _disappear_.”

Yuya blinks.

“Wha-”

The bouquet in his hands suddenly explodes in a shower of pink petal debris and the stems begin to grow and expand into long, soft things. They start to wind around Yuya's arms, knot around his legs, and slither across his mouth until he's so covered in these strange green tentacle things that he can't move.

“ _Mm_ _!!_ ”

There's another huffed laugh and Yuya's head snaps up to see Yuri suddenly holding up another card. His lips are curling into something decidedly malicious as he opens his mouth to announce his next move.

“Magic card, Violet Flash, activate!”

There's a flash of violet light so bright the crowd has to shield their eyes. When it clears, Yuri, true to his word, makes Yuya (as well as himself) disappear.

 

-x-x-

 

“I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you until today.”

Vines twist around Yuya's ankles when he tries to kick himself free from the mass of writhing plant life keeping him caged. Originally, upon arriving, they had released him and he had fallen to the cemented ground rather hard, but at a snap of Yuri's fingers, they pounced. Now he was being strung up in midair and more vines were beginning to twist themselves around his legs and crawl around his arms.

“Let go!”

Yuya struggles and protests and kicks and pulls against the tendrils wrapped around his wrists, but he's soon unable to do anything but squirm and uselessly twist himself within their grasp.

“Sakaki Yuya in the flesh at last. And here I thought I would have more trouble acquiring you than those girls.”

Yuri takes a few slow steps towards him and hums approvingly before gesturing at their surroundings. It something like a greenhouse, all covered in various species of plants. But everything was overgrown. There was cracks in the cement with tendrils bursting out of them, vines and flowers were hanging from the walls, and there was an enormous venus fly trap sitting not far from them.

“Like it?” Yuri asks, referring to the greenhouse. His expression changes to something akin to fondness. “I don't have much interest in socializing with any of the other students. So _this_ is my hobby. Lovely, aren't they?”

Yuya tries to wrench his body out of the vines' hold but no matter how he twists and turns the plants refuse to give. He eventually slumps and after exerting so much energy into trying to escape, he's completely out of breath when he speaks again.

“H-how do you” he starts and takes a breath before continuing. “know me?”

“Oh, I've known about you for a long, _long_ time.” A disconcerting smile stretches across Yuri's lips as he saunters forward. “I must say, you're _much_ cuter in person.”

A flick from Yuri's wrist and the vines around Yuya's limbs twist even further. They tighten and knot and grow taunt before lowering him a little. It's not quite tight enough to harm him, but it's enough to make even the bit of squirming Yuya had been doing difficult (though he still tries). This just earns an amused chuckle from Yuri, who stops just before Yuya and reaches out a hand. Fingers press underneath Yuya's chin and he's forced to look up.

The look in Yuri's eyes is anything but comforting. They're dancing with a predatory gleam and Yuya fights back a shiver.

“Wha-what do you want?” Yuya tries to sound confident but his voice wavers.

“Me?” Yuri asks and hums in thought. “Mm...the Professor is the one who really wants you. Your powers, I should say. You have the power of creation, an ability unto God. And that makes you a very valuable power source.”

Yuya's eyes widen a little.

“The...Professor...”

That was apparently the guy who ran Academia. Which meant _they_ _knew_.

His allies had thought Yuya's existence to be unknown to Academia. It was the whole reason he being here undercover was ever suggested in the first place (although Yuto hadn't been happy about it). His ability to breathe life into the cards he played with and create new ones never-before-seen was something to be coveted. He could very easily be used if discovered by the wrong people, but no one seemed to know he existed.

No one except Yuri.

Yuri lets his hand fall away and slides a few fingers down Yuya's chest. He comes to a stop at the pendulum gently swaying in the air and grabs it. It glimmers in the light as he turns it over in his hand, studying it and then humming.

“It's curious, though...just where _did_ you acquire such an ability? What makes the little magician boy so special?”

Yuri levels his gaze back onto Yuya and lets the pendulum fall away from his fingers.

“And what will happen when he's pushed into a corner?” Yuri lets out a surprisingly childish laugh and snaps his fingers. Another vine begins to move and slithers up Yuya's back (making him jump) to circle around his neck. “I'm interested in seeing you lose control and what better way than for you and I to play~?”

The vine around Yuya's neck suddenly moves to rub against his cheek and another darts out to cling to his waist. That one wiggles, finds the hem of his shirt, and then slips upward. Its touch is incredibly cold and it makes Yuya shiver as it slithers around, poking different areas and generally just feeling him up in a not so very pleasent way.

“Y-yuri, tell it to stop...”

“Why? This can be beneficial for the both of us. My methods are _far_ nicer than the Professor's will be. Besides,” Yuri holds out a hand to let a dangling tendril nuzzle against his palm. “my pets like you~”

The snaking tendril moving around underneath Yuya's shirt seems to find a sensitive spot because Yuya makes a small, breathy noise and tries to jerk away from it.

“W-wait!”

The one loosely wrapped around Yuya's neck takes an interest and slips under the neckline to join the other. It pokes around a bit and suddenly Yuya's making more sounds he doesn't want to make and a blush is rising to his cheeks that he doesn't want to be there.

“Wh—don't do tha-- _Yuri!_ ”

“Hm~?” Yuri waves the nuzzling tendril away and moves to play with Yuya's pendulum again. “What's wrong, Yu. Ya?”

“You— _aa_ _h!_ "

Yuya isn't able to finish because something cold presses against his side (another curious vine) and he yelps. Yuri makes an interested sound at that and lets go of the pendulum. He presses a hand to Yuya's side and grabs hold of his chin.

“Oohh? Are you saying you want me to play with you, too?” That smile he never seems to be without grows as he brings his face closer to Yuya's. “Well, if you like~”

The duel disk clipped to Yuya's hip suddenly rings out and the vines cease their ministrations. As the sound continues some tendrils idly resting on the floor lift themselves up to poke and slither against the noisy device, possibly trying to figure out what it was and how to handle it. One gets a little too close to a blinking icon on the display and suddenly a familiar voice filters out of the speakers, sounding highly alarmed.

“Yuya!” Yuri pauses to raise an eyebrow at Yuya, recognition flashing in his eyes. “Y...Yuya?

Yuri tuts and snakes an arm around Yuya's waist to pull the duel disk from his hip. He backs away, takes a moment to look less annoyed, and flips it around, flashing the screen a winning smile. 

“You've reached the voicemail of Sakaki Yuya.” he chirps, looking for all the world like a friendly face but there's a gasp and Yuto's eyes widen at seeing him. “I'm sorry he's unable to answer your call, but he's a little...tied up at the moment~”

“ _Yuri._ ” 

“Ah, so you _do_ remember my name!” Yuri chuckles and sets a hand over his heart. "I'm honored~"

Yuto's expression darkens, but if anything this just amuses Yuri even more.

“Where's Yuya?" comes the expected demand. "What did you do with him?”

Yuri taps a finger against his cheek and hums, pretending to think.

“Yuya?” he repeats, feigning ignorance. “Hmm...I wonder~”

The expression on Yuto's face is nothing short of livid.

“ _ **Don't** play games with me._ ”

Yuri drops the act and narrows his eyes at the screen, smile becoming something more neutral.

“Why not? I even have a fun new one for you.” he says and raises a hand to snap his fingers. The vines react and dart towards those sensitive areas they found earlier. Only, they're a little more vicious with their prodding and Yuya shrieks out Yuri's name. “How loud can I make him scream before you give in to my demands?”

Yuto pales.

“You're not--”

“You remember my lovely pets, don't you?” Yuri interrupts and if anything that just makes Yuto's face paler. Yuri chuckles. “Well, now your little Yuya is getting to know them as well~ I think they may like him even more than they did you.” 

Yuri turns away from the screen to glance at Yuya and suddenly an idea comes to mind. He turns back to the screen and flashes Yuto a friendly smile.

“Care to watch?”

That sounded decidedly _bad_ , but before Yuto can protest, a vine snatches up the communicator and slithers around two opposite corners to hold it in the air. Yuri backs away and then moves out of sight and over towards Yuya again. The vine holding the communicator turns so that the screen is facing them. 

“Y-yuya...”

Yuya's hair and clothes are a mess from struggling so much and his cheeks are flushed from being poked and prodded by sentient plant life. Their most recent jabs left Yuya panting so hard he couldn't speak, but he lifts his head at Yuri's approach and offers a weak smile to the screen, which Yuto starts shaking his head at.

“Yuya... _let him go, Yuri._ ”

Yuri somehow manages to make a disappointed little noise without looking disappointed in the least.

"But we haven't even reached the best part yet~”

He shoos the prodding tendrils away and presses himself against his captive. Fingers slip down to brush over an exposed patch of skin right at Yuya's hip and more run through his hair and brush against his cheek. He tries to squirm away when Yuri doesn't stop, but it's an incredibly useless action and Yuya has to protest.

“S-stop it. That--”

That hand playing near the hem of his pants slips up his side and the one at his cheek moves to grab hold of his chin. Like before, Yuri brings his face closer and manages to pull him in for a kiss.

“M...mm!”

“ ** _Yuri!_** ”

Yuto sounds seven levels of infuriated and his shout is so loud it echos throughout the greenhouse, but he's ignored by Yuri, who closes his eyes and makes a pleased sound. The vines he originally shooed away begin to move again and they slip back up Yuya's shirt.

"Mm!!"

He gasps and the kiss breaks, but he's pulled back in again and all he can do is make odd sounds that both further infuriate Yuto and continue to please Yuri.

"Yuri, _stop_!"

It drags something that sounds oddly like a giggle out of Yuri's throat and he pulls away.

“What's wrong~?" Yuri asks, looking far more pleased than he had any right to. He leans his back against Yuya and rubs a finger across his own lips. "Don't like someone else touching your little accomplice?”

Yuto looks like he wants shout at him again, but he bites it back and his shoulders slump.

“...what do you want?” he finally asks, expression pained. He closes his eyes briefly. “Don't--...just let him go. I'll--”

“You'll do whatever I want? Give in to my demands or sacrifice yourself for his sake?” Yuri finishes for him, arching an eyebrow. “About that,  _I lied_. Save the self-sacrificial drivel for someone you can reason with. You were stupid enough to let him into my domain and I have absolutely _no_ intentions of _ever_ giving him back.”

Yuri waves a hand at the screen, looking almost disgusted, and the vine wrapped around it moves to slither across the screen, its hold tightening.

“I could tease you about this all day, but I have better things to do.” he continues and then laughs. “Or should I say play with?”

“Yuri, wait!”

The vines tighten enough to make the screen crack and Yuto's voice cuts through the crackling, tone sounding frantic.

“Yu--!”

The duel disk snaps in half in a shower of sparks and the two pieces fall to the floor in glitters of broken glass.

“Looks like this is my win yet again.” Yuri offers to the broken duel disk before turning back to Yuya. “To think you two already knew each other. Oh well, that was amusing for a few minutes.”

A spark of fear flashes through Yuya's eyes and he flinches when Yuri reaches back up to run his fingers through Yuya's hair. He then slides them down Yuya's cheek and grabs his chin again.

“Now, where were we~?”

“ _Oi!!_ ”

A new voice echos within the greenhouse and Yuri pauses, expression quickly switching to a look of disgust. He turns his head just in time to see a motorcycle screech to a halt and a pair of eyes glare at him from underneath the driver's helmet.

“...you're kidding.”

The driver snatches something from his belt and flips it up and it's a card with a picture of a shining dragon on the cover (something Yuya is very happy to see).

“Clear Wing lead me right here, you bastard!”

Yuri's eyes roll and he lets out a humorless laugh.

“You. Are. _Kidding_.” he seethes and pushes himself away from Yuya. He clicks his tongue in distaste. “So. Not only do you know that XYZ user but you know _this_ idiot as well. That's incredibly annoying, Yuya.”

The motorcyclist, Yugo, pockets his card and kicks the stand out before climbing off.

“Yuto knew something was up when his calls kept getting ignored, but we didn't think you'd go _this_ far.”

He glances at Yuya and grimaces before jabbing a finger in Yuri's general direction and yelling.

“Drop him or I'm gonna run you over!!”

Yuri is unaffected by this and tuts. He reaches into his uniform to flip a card of his own up. Another plant of some kind. It looked very similar to the oversized venus fly trap nearby.

“You're so incredibly violent, _Yuugou_ , but if a fight is what you desire, my pets should more than suffice.”

The card shines and a grotesque plant with a dripping mouth and a row of pointed teeth fades into existence. It hisses at Yugo and its leaves shake, very clearly displeased at seeing him attempting to interrupt its master.

"Please do us all a favor and _eat_ him."

The plant hisses again and lunges forward and for something that didn't have legs, the thing moved _fast_. Yugo is barely able to roll out of the way before it crashes into some empty flower pots behind him. The crack and break and it hisses and stumbles as it tries to right itself.

While its confused, Yugo whips out another card and holds it up.

"Speedroid Double Yoyo!" Another flash of light and an odd thing with razored wheels that resembled yoyos appears. Yugo points at the stumbling plant. "Get rid of that ugly thing!"

The yoyos comply and lunge at the plant, razors cutting into the creatures stem and causing it cry out in pain. It hisses, tries to attack the rolling yoyos, but fails when they slam into its head.

"HA! Keep it up!"

Yuri's expression darkens and he pulls out two more cards in response to Yugo's little cheer. He opens his mouth to recite another summoning spell. But before he can, something whizzes past and a sharp pain slices into his side. It's so sudden that he doesn't have enough time to react before a fist collides with his stomach and he's thrown to the ground.

"Ngh!"

" _That's_ for Ruri."

A hand fists into the collar of his uniform and yanks him off the ground. Yuto, to his credit, doesn't look nearly as livid as he had during that impromptu video call.

Yuri coughs and glares up.

"You--"

Yuto doesn't give him the chance to finish and runs another fist straight into his face. This time, when he's thrown to the ground, Yuto leaves him.

"And _that_ is for Yuya."

He takes a breath to try and calm the anger bubbling in his veins before turning away. He walks over to Yuya and pulls out a card of his own, looking apologetic.

"Phantom Knights Fragile Armor," he calls and a ghostly armored apparition covered in blue flames appears. "Get Yuya down. Be gentle, though."

It grunts and slices a hand through the vines. They instantly burn and wither and some, mindful of the danger, retreat. In just a few seconds, Yuya is freely and he drops to the ground in a relieved heap.

"I never should have let you both talk me into this..." Yuto mutters and he crouches down to Yuya's level. "I'm sorry, Yuya. This shouldn't have--I should have told you about Yuri."

Yuya shakes his head and offers him a little smile, but it doesn't quite meet his eyes.

"Just...can we just go home now?"

Yuto opens his mouth, but stops and nods.

"Mm."

Over by a spread of crushed flowers, Yuri stirs and manages to push himself to his feet.

"D-damn you..." Yuri clutches at his bloodied side and he stumbles back. He takes a breath and sends the two a murderous look. " _Fine_. _Take_ him."

He whips out another card and mutters a spell under his breath before a familiar light begins to shine.

"Don't just run away, you bastard!" Yugo yells. He tries to rush at Yuri despite the blinding light, but Yuri's gone before Yugo ever reaches him. His hands curl into fist. "Get back here and face me, you coward!"

Yuto huffs out a short sigh and shakes his head.

"Let him go." he says and tears off the last withered vine still clinging to Yuya's wrist. "Just grab your bike and let's go before anyone else shows up. There's nothing more we can do here."

"But he-!"

"Let. Him go. Yugo." he repeats. He wraps an arm around Yuya and helps him stand. "There's someone more important we need to take care of right now."

Yugo makes a face but he doesn't protest any further and redirects his anger at one of the flower pots near his feet, grumbling as he kicks it.

"Fine."


End file.
